The Great Post Office Scandal - Nick Wallis

CoLab Book Club - April 2024

April’s #CoLabBookClub was an emotional whirlwind. You've likely heard of "The Great Post Office Scandal" and if not, you soon will. Unfortunately the book/series/documentary is not fiction - it's painfully real.

Overview

Nick Wallis's The Great Post Office Scandal book tells of the #PostOfficeScandal where thousands of subpostmasters were wrongfully accused of theft and false accounting due to errors from Horizon, the flawed computer system designed by Fujitsu. The story follows their harrowing journey as they, led by Alan Bates, take their fight to the High Court.

Our Key Reflections

It was almost impossible to talk calmly about this book. There was lots of arm waving and WTFs but we tried hard to focus on what we could learn and change for the future.

✔️ Know your true customer - Fujitsu and the Post Office showed a glaring disconnect and disrespect towards subpostmasters.

✔️ Promote customer centered design - what's often dismissed as user errors should be viewed as usability flaws.

✔️ Bring in the testers - bugs extend beyond source code. If a system can't be easily investigated, fixed or reversed, it's unfit for purpose.

✔️ Create a safe environment - we reflected on our own experiences and whether we have always felt safe enough to speak up.

✔️ Beware of SLA side effects - be realistic and set up contracts to be positive for everyone.

✔️ Ensure the right person for the job - it took a technically competent Judge (Judge Fraser) to understand the complexities rather than simply trust the computer system.

Who is it For?

This book is a must-read for everyone, capturing a pivotal moment in history. It will be particularly useful for those in supplier management.

Thank you!

Thank you Nick Wallis for your research and for bringing this story to light. It was an emotional read.

🌼 To the victims and their families - we hope justice prevails soon.

Thank you Aaron Hodder, Alfred Enslin, Allan Atkinson, Ceedee Doyle, Kyla MacDonald, Pete Tansey, Peter Bink and Toni Wilson for the animated conversation!

#AgileCoLab#BookClub#Learning#Justice#PostOfficeScandal